Rocket type weapon



Dec. 6, 1949 R, B STAVER 2,490,101

ROCKET TYPE WEAPON Filed April 8, 1947 3M ksnun.-

@HMM/@mds Patented Dec. 6, 1,949

UNITED 4STTES (Granted under the act 0f March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; -370 0. G. 757') 7 Claims.

`The invention described herein may be manufactured and used'by `or for the VGrovernmentfor governmental purposes without the A.payment to me of any royalty thereon.

jThis invention relates to an limprovement `in rocket type weapons and more particularly vto a structure wherein the launcher tube ior a rocket projectile is utilized as the motor chamber Ythereof.

More particularly, it is an object of the invention kto provide a lrocketprojectile capable of being manufactured much more economically than projectiles of the same size and of the type now in use, and which can be readily assembled just prior to .fu-ing to thereby lenable the component parts of the projectile to be stored and transported in a much more compact manner than is possible with the conventional rocket projectiles.

Still another further aim of the invention is -to provide a structure whereby the weight of the projectile is materially reduced without effecting the size of the bursting charge thereof.

A further object of the invention is to provide a projectile having a novel form of Ytail fin assembly a part of which functions in conjunction with theflauncher tube-to provide the propelling nozzle of the projectile.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a view partly in longitudinal section, partly in side elevation and partly diagrammatic; and

Figure 2 is an end View in elevation looking toward the rear end of the launcher tube containing the projectile.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, 3 designates generally a rocket launcher tube which may be of any suitable construction such as the 2.36 inch A. T. rocket launcher MlAl and which includes an electrical system 4 which may be of any suitable arrangement such as that provided for the aforementioned rocket launcher.

The rocket projectile, designated generally 5, includes a head 6 of conventional construction and design which is provided with a rearwardly extending internally threaded socket 'I. A tube or rod 8 is connected to or formed integral with a tail iin assembly, designated generally 9, at one of its ends. The tail iin assembly 9 includes a body portion I0 which is substantially semitachably engage in the socket -'I`.

"the wall of the bore I'I of the launcher 3.

`bands Iliispreferably` formed of copper. The outer tlarged4 end of which the rod 8 is connected. The

assembly 9 also includes a plurality of ns JI-I which project radially from the body I0. The opposite end I2 of the rod 8 is threaded tede- A vpropelling charge in the formof Ia powderstick t3 having a bore I4 sized to encompass the rod Yil is mounted thereon and bears against the body =I\0, at one end thereof, and againstthe socket l, at its opposite end. The powder stick I3 ypreferably of laminatedconstruction being formed of a pluralityof disks t5 assembled in abutting relationship. Said powder stick I3 is of a quick burning composition lfor a rpurpose which will herei-nafter become apparent'.

The projectilefis inserted -in the rear end of the launcher tube 3 in a conventional manner and maybe connected to the electrical 'propelling charge igniting system VI in the same mannerthat `a y2.36 inch rocket -is vconnected to the igniting means of the launcher MlAl. The head ofthe rocket is provided #with an obturating band I6 ,which is secu-redfthereto and which bears against The edges of the ns III slidably engage the wall vof thebore I1 to combine-with the obturating band I6 for guiding the projectile 5 in its movement through the tube 3. Assuming that the igniting means 4 has been energized by closing the switch I8 thereof, the propelling charge I3 will be ignited thereby and due to its quick burning characteristics will burn very rapidly and be consumed before the projectile 5 has completed its travel through tube 3. The propelling gases produced by the burning of the charge I3 will be confined in the motor chamber formed by the portion of the tube bore I1 which surrounds the charge I3. Escape of these compressed gases forwardly and around the head 6 will be prevented by the band I6 so that said gases will pass rearwardly through the tube 3 and between said tube and the body portion I0. The rearwardly tapered shape of the body portion ID functions in conjunction with the wall of the tube bore II which is in encompassing relationship thereto to form an annular nozzle for the projectile 5 to cause the projectile to be propelled thereby forwardly through the tube 3, or to the left as seen in Figure 1. Due to the fast burning of the charge I3 the projectile 5 will be characterized by Very rapid acceleration as the entire propelling force thereof will be obtained during movement of the projectile through the tube 3, so that its maximum velocity will be acquired adjacent the muzzle of the tube.

Obviously, if desired, bore l1 could be rifled and the band I6 then utilized as a rotating band.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the projectile is capable of being much more economically manufactured than conventional rocket projectiles having motor chambers as a component part of the projectile; and as the charge I3 can be assembled on the rod 8 and the rod 8 and tail n assemly 9 thereafter and very readily attached to the head 6, it will be obvious that the projectile 5 can be packed very compactly for storage and transportation.

It is to be understood that only a very simple embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and that rocket projectiles constructed in accordance with the principles herein disclosed may be made of any desired size or shape. Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rocket type weapon `comprising a projectile having a head, an elongated member connected to the projectile head and extending rearwardly therefrom, an enlargement on the rear end of the member having radially projecting fins, a launcher tube for slidably receiving the projectile, and a powder stick supported on the elongated member and forming the propelling .charge of the projectile, the portion of the launcher tube surrounding the powder stick forming the motor chamber, and said enlargement and the surrounding portion of the tube forming the nozzle. Y

2. A rocket type weapon as in claim 1, said projectile head having an obturating band encompassing a portion thereof and in engagement with the bore of the tube.

3. A rocket type weapon comprising a projectile having a propelling charge externally mounted thereon, and a tube for launching the projectile, said tube functioning as a motor chamber for the propelling charge during travel of lthe projectile therethrough, said projectile having a tail fin assembly including a body portion disposed behind the propelling charge, said body portion being constructed to cooperate with the tube to form a nozzle.

4. A chamberlessrocket type projectile comprising a forwardly disposed payload-carrying head, an elongatedmemberconnected to said head and extending rearwardly therefrom, an enlargement of circular transverse cross section on the rear end of said member, said enlargement diminishing in transverse cross section to- Ward the rear to define an annular rocket nozzle when said projectile is placed in a launching tube, a plurality of radial ns projecting from said enlargement to a radius slightly greater than the maximum diameter of said enlargement to maintain said enlargement centered when the rocket is placed in a launching tube, and a propellent charge supported on the elongated member, the maximum radial dimension of said charge from the axis of said member being no greater than the maximum radial extent of said ns.

5. The invention ycited in claim 4 including an obturating band about said rocket head.

6. The invention cited in claim 5 wherein said propellent charge is an annular member disposed about said elongated member.

7. The invention cited in claim 6 wherein said annular member has a rearwardly diminishing cross section to provide an increasing free port area toward the rear.

ROBERT B. STAVER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 778,788 Maxim Dec. 27, 1904 2,069,794 Woodberry Feb. 9, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Datel 308,455 Germany Jan. 20, 1920 784,108 France Apr. 23, 1935 841,015 France Jan. 28, 1939 

